The Health, Nutrition and Wellness site
3 Oct
Sexual Vitality or sex drive can be influenced by a variety of factors in our daily life. Stress, anxiety, poor body-image, excess weight, boredom, hormonal imbalance and even various environmental factors are but a few which can have a detrimental effect on our desire for sex. Nutrition can play a large role in eliminating some of these factors and that is what we will be looking at here.
Who does not know the story of oysters and champagne? This could be largely due to oysters’ high zinc content, an important nutrient for supporting male prostate function. In fact many sea-foods such as shellfish, fish and mineral rich seaweeds can enhance vitality and so influence sexual well-being. Fresh fruits and vegetables, think luscious strawberries and juicy mangoes as well as crisp celery, contain nutrients which support sexual function.
Unfortunately milk products such as ice-cream or cheeses could have a sedative effect on sexual energy so it is probably best to keep these to a minimum and may explain why many people find ice-cream soothing when emotionally upset.
There are various herbs which are said to boost sexual vitality, especially in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Examples of these are as follows:
Dong Quai – a ‘female’ herb that is an anti-spasmodic for cramps, a hormonal tonic and a blood purifier.
Ginseng root – supports general vitality and can be a help for both men and women if fatigue is the cause of sexual disinterest.
Fo-ti-tien – used for males as a kidney tonic and diuretic and to help enhance fertility.
Other herbs and spices which have a warming and stimulating effect on the body, so simulating the effects of sexual arousal include: cayenne pepper, chilli peppers, cumin, curry, garlic and ginger.
Vitamin A – essential for formation of sperm and sex hormones, can be found in broccoli, papaya, eggs, pumpkins, carrots, apricots, tomatoes and dandelion greens.
Vitamin C – anti-oxidant which helps protect sperm from free-radicals and can be found in chilli peppers, tomatoes, citrus fruits, strawberries, broccoli and spinach.
Vitamin E – helps with the formation of sex hormones and sperm and can be found in asparagus, peas, spinach, nuts, eggs and grains.
Vitamin B6 – decreases the risk of erectile dysfunction and helps to combat symptoms of PMS, it can be found in oats, beans, wheat germ, yeast and bananas.
Vitamin B12 – deficiency can contribute to impotence and infertility, it can be found in meat, shellfish, fish and eggs.
Calcium – helps reduce PMS symptoms and builds strong bones, it is found in sardines, brazil nuts, tofu, almonds and seaweed.
Folate – important in development of sperm, helps to prevent birth defects, facilitates the production of dopamine and can be found in beans, dark green leafy vegetables and in grains.
L-arginine – important in facilitating erections and vaginal lubrication, it can be found in meat, seeds, grains and nuts.
Magnesium – helps with preventing cramps and other PMS symptoms. A relaxing nutrient, found in apples, avocadoes, apricots, fish, tofu, nuts and wholegrains.
Niacin – could enhance sexual flush and tactile sensation and is found in dates, asparagus, beans, avocadoes, peanuts, fish, lean meats, peas and broccoli.
Pantothenic acid – may improve endurance and plays a role in the formation of sex hormones, it can be found in beans, broccoli, molasses, poultry, nuts, eggs and beef.
Selenium – deficiency of this important nutrient has been linked to miscarriage in pregnant women and to infetility in both sexes, it can be found in brown rice, garlic, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts.
Thiamin – boosts energy and can be found in beans, seeds and wholegrains.
Zinc – helps prevent PMS symptoms, deficiency can lead to miscarriage in pregnant women, zinc is also important to sperm and testosterone production and can be found in meat, fish, shellfish, eggs, pumpkin seeds, garlic, spinach and wholegrains.
Maintaining a healthy weight, good cardiovascular health and strong circulation through regular exercise and a healthy diet will go a long way to increasing sexual vitality. Balanced hormones are also an advantage of healthy diet and regular physical activity. Being open and honest with your partner and taking care of ones sexual responsibility also helps to prepare the floor for a long and healthy, mutually fulfilling sexual relationship, which in turn may contribute to a longer and happier life.
3 Oct
Article written by Joy.
A healthy human nose can distinguish between 10 000 different aromas. The professional ‘noses’ used by Essential oil and Perfume companies train for several years and are capable of determining the subtle differences the quality and the origin of essential oils.
Scents invoke immediate and powerful responses as the volatile fragrance molecules travel with tthe olfactory nerve tracts directly to the limbic system ( a part of the brain concerned with memory and emotion). Essential oils can thus reach us through inhalation, via the skin and through ingestion ( the last method should not be used by the layperson at all, unless supervised by a suitably qualified professional).
Essential oils are very complex and consist on average of up to 100 or more chemical components. Essential oils are classified as stimulating or calming, sedative or energising, according to the percentage of esters, aldehydes, alcohol, terpenes and other chemical components the essential oils contain.
The easiest way for the novice to get to know essential oils is by using them in a prescribed manner through perfume, bath and massage oils, blends for burners and simple remedies for home-use. The first step to knowing an essential oil is to smellit and like wine or olive oil testing, there is prescribed way of ’sniffing’.
- To experience the fragrant aroma of an essential oil, put a few drops on a strip of paper and wave it in a circle of about 18cms just under your nose, creating a vortex of aroma molecules.
- move your fragrant paper strip first under the right nostril, then under the left, sniffing every time and then under both nostrils, taking a deep sniff.
- inhale the aroma high up your nose, visualising the aroma of the Essential oil going to the top of your head and through the whole body.
- allow words and feelings to surface describing your experience of the Essential oil, making notes as you go along. It is good to practise the above exercise (don’t test more than 3 or 4 Essential oils at a time) as it will be an invaluable aid when you blend your own unique perfume.
You will discover characteristics such as woody, herbaceous, citrus, resinous, spicy and floral. Essential oils with a quick evaporation rate are called ‘top notes’ and are generally experienced as energising, uplifting and invigorating eg. lemon, grapefruit, lemongrass and bergamot.
Essential oils with a slower evaporation rate are called ‘middle notes’ and usually have a relaxing, calming and balancing effect eg. geranium and lavender.
Those Essential oils with aroma molecules that linger and disperse very slowly are classified as ‘base notes’. These essential oils have a grounding and deeply relaxing effect and often act as a fixative to other more quickly dispersing aromatic molecules. Examples of ‘base note’ oils are: sandalwood, benzoin and vetiver.
To create a well-balanced perfume one should include all three ‘notes’ in various proportions, the different quantities give character to your blend, be it lightly floral, spicy oriental or cleansing herbaceous.
Essential oils have different therapeutic actions such as anti-viral, anti-septic, sedative, stimulating, aphrodisiac, anti-spasmodic, hypo-tensive and others. Blending different Essential oils into a sinergistic blend takes experience and skill but luckily for the novice there are many recipes to experiment with.
Essential oils may be ‘natural’ but they have potent healing effects and should always by used with utmost care. Always use in the correct dilution with carrier oils and be aware of any contra-indications an Essential oil may have. Some Essential oils can cause skin irritation and high or low blood pressure or can be hazardous during pregnancy or for people with a history of epilepsy or diabetes. Most Essential oils are sold with safety data and childproof locks. Store your Essential oils in a cool, dark place, away from children.
Essential oils mix readily with other oils and alcohol. Using suitable carriers helps to make the therapeutic effects of Essential oils readily available to the body. A good guideline is to use no more than 3 drops of Essential oil in 5ml (1tsp) of a carrier. This constitutes a 3% dilution but a 1% or 2% dilution is equally effective. Extrapolating fom 2 drops in 5ml, divide your quantity of carrier by 5 and multiply with 2 to get the number of drops of Essential oils to use in your blend. Thus should you have 50ml of a carrier, you would add 10 x 2 drops of Essential oil to your blend. Remember the golden rule: less is more!
Making your own perfume, bath oil, massage oil, creams and bath products or simple home remedies can be an absobing and creative pastime. In blending skin oils, choose your carrier oils and essential oils for their properties: for dry skin you will use rich and nourishing carrier oils such as avocado, rose hip and sesame oil. Essential oils should be hydrating and stimulating such as rose, sandalwood, neroli and lavender. Blends for oily skin will include light and easily absorbed carrier oils such as apricot kernel, almond and jojoba oils and Essential oils with an astringent and slightly anti-septic effect such as lemon verbena, cypress, chamomile and lavender.
Mature skin will benefit from carrier oils such as evening primrose, borage, rose hip, almond and sesame oils and the Essential oils that stimulate new cell growth such as lavender, frankincense, neroli, rose geranium and benzoin.
Essential oils have wonderful healing properties, are easily absorbed by the skin and thus transported via the circulation system of the body to have a beneficial effect on the whole body. It is preferable to use quality grade organic Essential oils and organic, cold-pressed carrier oils.